Preview: Sunderland away

The same fixture last season saw Chelsea take the points with a 3-2 victory at the end of last season. Lampard was rested, Carvalho and Deco weren't even playing but was a great victory at the Stadium of Light and another three points will be needed tonight. But, this is no easy game for Chelsea.

Ok again on paper looking at our first set of games in the Premier League and on paper you would expect three points for Chelsea but Sunderland under Steve Bruce, who have already picked up their first three points with a win away at the weekend will be no easy game in my eyes. With Jones, Bent and Campbell as options up front they will pose Chelsea problems tonight but it looks as if Malbranque and Richardson (two key players for them) will be out injured. So as long as we can maintain stability at the back we should be able to dominate possession of the ball and impose our game on them and it will be down to them how they deal with us when we go forward.

I can see maybe a couple of changes for tonight's game. I think to strengthen against the height we are up against in Jones, that Bosingwa will make way for Ivanovic. I can also maybe see Malouda being rested and Deco coming in. Apart from that will be more or less the same side with Drogba and Anelka continuing up front.

Chelsea at the moment need to get the players right and their positional sense for the 4-diamond-2 as its more than likely whoever we play against will look to attack us down the wings and expose the likes of Lampard, Essien down the flanks. This is why i think Ivanovic will come back in at right back.

You have to say we are still waiting for Drogba and Anelka to click up front and at times they have looked like doing so but still lacking that extra understanding which in time will come. I can see Sturridge coming on at some stage as Ancelotti looks to keep players fresh for the run of games we have got coming up.

The main thing is that we start well and get hold of the ball and create. Deco for me has been great since Pre Season started and he can provide that killer ball that the likes of Drogba and Anelka can run onto and get their shots away on target. I think Frank maybe has been playing too far forward so whereas he is able to make late runs in the box, he is too far forward and being picked up and marked and finding himself isolated. So this is where for me Deco plays behind the front two and Lampard plays left/right and makes his runs from there.

Whatever happens and who plays we need three more points against a difficult test tonight. Let's hope we get them and take 6 points into the weekend!

Come on the Chels! KTBFFH & Carefree!